


like "real couples" do

by finalfrontierpioneer



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Getting Together, Kissing, Mentions of COVID-19, Valentine's Day, bad covid etiquette, kind of, mask wearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:48:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29431959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/finalfrontierpioneer/pseuds/finalfrontierpioneer
Summary: Veronica just wants to curl up in bed with a glass of wine and a trashy romcom on Netflix. What's stopping her? Jughead Jones and a new Lyft policy.
Relationships: Jughead Jones/Veronica Lodge
Comments: 16
Kudos: 55





	like "real couples" do

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whatacoolkid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatacoolkid/gifts).



> HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!! I know today is all about the romantic love, but I just wanna tell you that I really appreciate you and I'm SO glad we're internet friends!!! 
> 
> Also, side note, this is based on a tweet i saw and screenshotted months ago; i finally got around to writing a fic for it!

Veronica curses as she stumbles down the steps of the New York Public Library. Of all the days to be cooped up in the library, researching for her sociology paper. When she arrived this morning, the weather had been cold and crisp, but clear. Now, she can barely see the street through the thick clumps of snow falling down.

What a lovely Valentine’s Day.

She clutches at the railing when her heeled boot catches on a patch of ice. Why hadn’t she checked the weather this morning?

At least she just has to make it to the curb, where her nice warm Lyft is waiting. 

Then she can go home to her apartment and watch movies alone. Maybe she’ll even crack open a bottle of wine. Try to pretend she’s not alone on Valentine’s Day.

So Veronica hugs her bag to her chest, tucks her masked chin into her cashmere scarf, and shuffles and slip-slides her way to the car. 

“Thank God,” she mutters under her breath as she yanks open the door and practically falls inside.

But when she tries to pull the door shut behind her, she encounters resistance. And then another bundled up body is shoving it’s way into the warm car beside her. 

“Excuse me!” her voice comes out a little shrill, but she’s earned it, okay? “What do you think you’re doing?”

The figure finally turns to face her, and great, it’s fucking Jughead Jones. She can barely tell it’s him with a mask and (surprisingly non-grey and crown shaped) beanie, “Catching a ride home in a Lyft,” he gestures to the car around them like she’s an idiot.

Veronica narrows her eyes. “Absolutely not!”

Jughead smirks. Even though half his face is covered, she can tell. Veronica feels her blood start pumping- she’s seen him around campus, but it’s been a long time since they last exchanged more than a passing nod, and even longer since they had an all out sparring match.

Before the metaphorical gauntlet is thrown down, someone clears their throat.

Both Veronica and Jughead’s gazes whip toward the front seat. Oh _right_. They’re not alone in this car. 

The driver stares at them, completely unimpressed. He points to a laminated sheet of paper hung on the back of the passenger seat. 

Jughead’s the one on the passenger side, so he pulls it closer to him to read. “Well, shit,” he says without explaining anything further.

Veronica huffs, but before she can snatch it out of his hands, the driver takes pity on her and explains, “New company policy- one customer per ride.”

Of course. Of _course_ this is how Veronica’s day is going. 

Jughead clears his throat and finally stops squinting at the paper, “Well, except for couples.”

She nearly bursts into hysterical giggles.

The driver doesn’t have the same restraint. “Yeah, like you two are a couple,” she can barely make out through his laughter.

Jughead makes an affronted noise, “Hey! We’re totally a couple!” He stretches one long arm over her shoulder and yanks her into his side. 

Veronica absolutely does _not_ squawk. 

“You’re not helping!” he hisses.

The driver tips his head toward the door. “Alright, now one of you has to get out.”

Jughead glares at her.

Veronica clears her throat. “Actually, uh, we _are_ a couple.”

The driver blinks. 

“It’s just- it’s so new!” she stutters, looking to Jughead for help.

“Right!” He nods frantically. “We haven’t even told our parents yet!”

What? She shakes her head. This man is never going to believe they’re a couple, with the way Jughead is completely bungling it up. 

Veronica latches onto his hand and holds their intertwined fingers up in the rearview mirror. “See? We’re even holding hands!” Okay, maybe it’s not completely Jughead’s fault.

Jughead facepalms with his other hand. “You know what? I’ll just go.” He starts to slide towards the door.

She should feel victorious, but he looks so dejected. And it really is coming down out there. 

Veronica tightens her grip on his fingers and yanks him back to her. He flails a little, unable to catch himself with the hand she’s still holding onto.

Without even stopping to gage his reaction, she yanks down her mask. And then his. His mouth parts in surprise. 

Before she can talk herself out of it, she plants her lips on his. Jughead freezes. Veronica kisses him harder. If they’re pretending to be dating, they’re not doing things halfway. 

Jughead’s surprisingly quick to get with the program. He skims a hand gently over the line of her jaw and then twists it into her hair. Hard. 

She gasps, and he pushes the advantage, licking into her mouth. Veronica helplessly allows him entrance.

She feels him smirk and gathers her wits enough to bite down on his bottom lip. He groans. Veronica wraps her arms completely around his shoulders, pushing into his personal space and molding her breasts to his front. 

“Jesus Christ, are you two done?” 

They both jolt in shock at the driver’s voice. Veronica had completely forgotten her motivations for that kiss in the first place.

She gulps as she watches Jughead touch the tip of his index finger to his lip. Where she’d bitten him. _Fuck_. 

Veronica glances up and accidentally catches his eyes. He’s staring at her mouth, eyes nearly black. 

She finds herself leaning in toward him. 

“Can you two pull your masks up? And buckle the fuck up, God,” the driver interrupts her thoughts loudly. 

They both jump to do as he says. 

“So you believe us?” Jughead asks, voice scratchy. 

The tires screech as he pulls away from the curb, “Sure, whatever, you’re a “real couple”, who the fuck cares after that fuckin’ display.” The driver says exasperatedly. “I have other passengers to collect tonight, and I _don't_ need you two exchanging bodily fluids in the back of my car.”

Veronica flushes bright red.

“Sorry,” Jughead mumbles.

The driver just sighs and shakes his head.

\---

The ride to Veronica’s apartment is pretty quiet. And awkward. 

The driver turns up his music and leaves them to it. 

It’s just, Veronica doesn’t know what to say. That kiss...that kiss was something else. She didn’t know Jughead could kiss like that. 

She’s completely lost in contemplation.

It’s only once they get to her apartment that she realizes they’ve been holding hands this entire time.

The car unceremoniously jerks to a stop, “Alright, get out, ‘lovebirds’.” The driver snickers to himself.

Veronica huffs and pulls herself out of the car and into the snow. Jughead stumbles out after her.

The car practically peels out, “Happy Valentine’s Day,” the driver calls back in the same tone he might say _fuck_ _you_. 

Jughead just laughs. 

Veronica can’t help smiling, too.

“What an asshole, huh,” Jughead says, still grinning under his mask. She can’t see his mouth, again, but just like before, she _knows_ him. His eyes are all crinkled up, there’s snow in his hair, and his scarf clashes awfully with his beanie. It’s not a bad look on him.

It’s not a bad look at all.

And you know what, it _is_ Valentine’s Day.

So she takes a chance and throws down a completely different gauntlet.

Veronica tilts her head toward the door to her apartment building. “Come up for a nightcap, Torombolo?”

She holds her breath. 

Jughead stares at her for a second before stepping completely into her personal space and intertwining their fingers once more. “You sure?” he dips his head shyly.

Veronica rolls her eyes fondly and pulls him up to her apartment where she can pull off his mask (among other things) and show him just how sure she is.

\---

(It’s not until the next morning, when they’re drinking coffee together after waking in a tangle of naked limbs, that Jughead sheepishly admits that he would have been completely screwed if she hadn’t asked him up, because his apartment is 15 blocks away.)

**Author's Note:**

> obviously, do NOT do as Jughead and Veronica do! Keep your mask on at all times!


End file.
